45 replies to this topic

[BlueDevilspawn]

Ttly, on 24 September 2025 - 11:24 PM, said:

For the slower (81kph) builds, I still don't really see why you'd use it over something like SMN-D (3Large laser/PPC) or Grasshopper (3IS ERPPC HSL with +thrust quirk), or even the Trial Huntsman (2C-UAC10 among other things), the Nova, and even the Griffin (energy+missile) the only thing with real unique appeal about it is the -50% missile cooldown and the slightly faster ones (that are still pretty underquirked).

You play the SHD IIC because you want the agility with the loadout. Or maybe you need to make the tonnage work in a group or deck. Or because it's a smaller mech and harder to hit or less prioritized. Or simply because you want to play a SHD IIC.

Or you can sell any mech above a 40 ton Arctic Wolf Blood Kit because that can run 2 UAC10 at 81kph and so why play anything heavier, or sell anything with that loadout below a Summoner. With something like 900 variants, there are plenty of options.

[Void Angel]

Partially because the lighter tonnage (compared to the Huntsman and OG Shadowhawk,) I ended up focusing on mobility and didn't strip out the jump jets in most of my builds. This results in a very mobile 'mech that can get to most places it wants to go very easily. It's been a unique mix of agility and mobility for this general weight class.

[Samziel]

I'm having a blast. A ton of build variety and lots of different variants. Dont feel like its too squishy for a 45 tonner, just needs to be played accordingly.

Edited by Samziel, 25 September 2025 - 10:59 AM.

[a 5 year old with an Uzi]

Took it into testing grounds last night to get a feel for it, immediately noticed something.

Cockpit does not bounce at all when you move and it's funny af.

Fantastic suspension on this thing.

Edited by a 5 year old with an Uzi, 25 September 2025 - 11:13 AM.

[BlueDevilspawn]

Bounce is a known bug and will be fixed in a coming patch

[a 5 year old with an Uzi]

BlueDevilspawn, on 25 September 2025 - 11:19 AM, said:

Bounce is a known bug and will be fixed in a coming patch

Kinda like it ngl but it might give it an unfair edge too

[simon1812]

add the Conjurer next, it's pretty much a very fancy looking wolverine, PGI have enough make up to make it happen!!

[Ttly]

BlueDevilspawn, on 25 September 2025 - 06:58 AM, said:

You play the SHD IIC because you want the agility with the loadout. Or maybe you need to make the tonnage work in a group or deck. Or because it's a smaller mech and harder to hit or less prioritized. Or simply because you want to play a SHD IIC. Or you can sell any mech above a 40 ton Arctic Wolf Blood Kit because that can run 2 UAC10 at 81kph and so why play anything heavier, or sell anything with that loadout below a Summoner. With something like 900 variants, there are plenty of options.

More agility.
What, like how the slow lights like Cougar does when it's running the lore accurate™ pretend-heavy loadout? Didn't work out on those for sure, though mostly because weak weapon quirks for its lack of durability.

The Cauldron would probably just hurr-durr and give it durability buffs were they to pay attention to it; instead of weapon ones.
And pat themselves on the back for introducing another chassis for an already saturated role instead of making it a proper glass cannon just like they did with the FB armor Black Lanner buff.

Less tonnage for drop deck/group as you yourself stated isn't how the game is balanced around, granted usually said when it's about FP, and EQs certainly aren't balanced.
And even if it were, it would be terrible to have tonnage solely as the determining power level, which it still somewhat is due to game design failure/neglect.

And really? ACW-BK? The Trial Huntsman is right there and literally everyone has it.
And hey, it is a good point anyway.
It's 40t instead of this thing's 45t that lets it fit into more drop deck/group stacks if you want to argue for it.
And hey that's a point as to why the SHD-IIC as it is, is pretty undertuned which was my original point (to the point that its alternatives are more appealing) from seeing its quirks.

Also target priority is more of a player issue thing.
It's their own fault that they think "doing 60 damage for 10% of a target's total hitpoints (i.e shooting at an tanking assault/heavy)" is better than "doing 30 damage for 20% of a target's total hitpoint (shooting at a medium/light)" so hey, blame the reward system among other things too I guess.

Edited by Ttly, 25 September 2025 - 02:21 PM.

[a 5 year old with an Uzi]

I already anticipate the UAC10 SHDIIC comparing pretty well if not favorably with the UAC5 SHD5M as a skirmishy dakka poptart. Squishier, more jammy maybe but more nimble and capable of smacking things around real good.

[Void Angel]

Ttly, on 25 September 2025 - 02:01 PM, said:

More agility.
What, like how the slow lights like Cougar does when it's running the lore accurate™ pretend-heavy loadout? Didn't work out on those for sure, though mostly because weak weapon quirks for its lack of durability.

The Cauldron would probably just hurr-durr and give it durability buffs were they to pay attention to it; instead of weapon ones.
And pat themselves on the back for introducing another chassis for an already saturated role instead of making it a proper glass cannon just like they did with the FB armor Black Lanner buff.

Less tonnage for drop deck/group as you yourself stated isn't how the game is balanced around, granted usually said when it's about FP, and EQs certainly aren't balanced.
And even if it were, it would be terrible to have tonnage solely as the determining power level, which it still somewhat is due to game design failure/neglect.

And really? ACW-BK? The Trial Huntsman is right there and literally everyone has it.
And hey, it is a good point anyway.
It's 40t instead of this thing's 45t that lets it fit into more drop deck/group stacks if you want to argue for it.
And hey that's a point as to why the SHD-IIC as it is, is pretty undertuned which was my original point (to the point that its alternatives are more appealing) from seeing its quirks.

Literally none of that was cogent. Agility and mobility differentiate the SDH-IIC from other chassis; the Cougar's problems (or the Hunchback's, for that matter) don't change that answer . You're literally contradicting your own reasoning and engaging in special pleading, because nobody balances 'mechs on their stock loadouts, and why are you complaining about being told a 'mech is more agile than your offered substitutes, and responding with "oh, like this Light that was too slow to account for its fragility?" It's like you have full-conversational Tourette's.

You didn't even bother to understand the next point; if a given 'mech A is obsolete, because Mech B can run the same loadout with less or more tonnage, then nearly all 'mechs between those tonnage points are useless. That's not the case, because the differences in handling, durability, and quirking mean that no 'mech is entirely unique. The last point is similarly embarrassing for you; just a totally nonsensical argument that's been offered only to be contrarian.

The only "hurr-durring" going on is a certain intransigent and fact-agnostic determination to be unhappy about every new thing in this game.

[levitas]

Ttly, on 24 September 2025 - 11:24 PM, said:

For the slower (81kph) builds, I still don't really see why you'd use it over something like SMN-D (3Large laser/PPC) or Grasshopper (3IS ERPPC HSL with +thrust quirk), or even the Trial Huntsman (2C-UAC10 among other things), the Nova, and even the Griffin (energy+missile) the only thing with real unique appeal about it is the -50% missile cooldown and the slightly faster ones (that are still pretty underquirked).

https://mwo.nav-alph...39fa429b_COU-BA now here's a build with some chest hair :gopper:

[a 5 year old with an Uzi]

the -6 with 2 UAC10 claps cheeks just fine at 81kph

just don't be a dummy and get into straight on slugging matches

Edited by a 5 year old with an Uzi, 26 September 2025 - 03:12 PM.

[a 5 year old with an Uzi]

The SHD IIC is overall pretty fun. It is a jumpy boi that smacks things pretty okay. If it gets tweaks, agility definitely. It gets noticeable when you throw an XL325 in there. Anchor Turn and Hard Brake do help.

[KursedVixen]

I think the shadowhawk IIC does need just a little bit of armor, and some more specific weapon quirks on some variants

for example

https://mwo.nav-alph...mechlab/shd-iic

heat or laser quirks?

https://mwo.nav-alph...chlab/shd-iic-2
heat quirks to compliment the pulse laser quirk?

https://mwo.nav-alph...chlab/shd-iic-6

heat quirks.

https://mwo.nav-alph...chlab/shd-iic-4

perhaps some minor laser quirks?

https://mwo.nav-alph...chlab/shd-iic-5

Ballstic quirks or MG rate of fire quirks?

https://mwo.nav-alph...hlab/shd-iic-dt

don't have this one so... but maybe some light laser quirks? Cooldown, heat?

https://mwo.nav-alph...chlab/shd-iic-b

I think the -B needs some missile or ballstic quirks, cooldown? I dunno something to help it

https://mwo.nav-alph...chlab/shd-iic-a

missile quirks cooldown, heat

Edited by KursedVixen, 26 September 2025 - 11:55 PM.

[a 5 year old with an Uzi]

This mech does not struggle to shoot. It has godly mounts on most variants. I was firing often enough with the LB20X/3 SRM6 SHDIIC-B to hit heat cap without cooldown quirks. The -2 is absolutely fantastic, the primary variant feels nuts with SRM6s and a PC wrapped around an XL325 and a bunch of JJs (you just REALLY notice that it is not as agile as you might expect, but again taking the nodes helps some). The APGauss-spammy variant (-5?) has so-so mounts and 2 plasma feels weak, PPC/Plasma feels wrong, 2 PPC is spicy but I had a good run with it? That one, maybe something to help it, idk. The one with the heavy RT bias and crazy missile cooldown is a riot with ATM12s and a LTAG or TAG though I wasn't as effective with it as I was with the others lol. Dumping out 24 ATMs every 2s after maxing cooldown nodes is funny as hell.

Dante looks insane but I haven't gotten to drive it just yet.

Edited by a 5 year old with an Uzi, 27 September 2025 - 10:05 AM.

[Rhaelcan]

T Hawk, on 25 September 2025 - 12:25 AM, said:

As if that says anything. Cauldron is the reason we have had stupidly broken quirks in the past. They don't know a thing about balance.

Cauldron also kept the game alive for four years. Your point..?

[Will9761]

I have to say, I like the way that Tiy0s thinks when it comes to the Shadow Hawk IIC model. It reminds me of the one I made a couple of years ago for MW5 modding:

[Samziel]

The only one I'd change would be the -A. Its ok but feels like a downgrade from B. This is mostly a brawl build comparison but I struggle to build anything else on it.

The -5 is also quite one-dimensional. Plasma APG is good, but everything else suffer because of the mounts.

The rest are great. Was surprised how much I like 2 ATM12 on the -4 and the -DT can do 3 ERPPCs without issue. Just waiting for the -6 to have its third hardpoint moved upwards but it has good 2 ballistic builds in the meanwhile.

I also find it much tankier than people are saying. Still a 45t level, but its not that weak.

Edited by Samziel, 28 September 2025 - 12:49 AM.

[KursedVixen]

Samziel, on 28 September 2025 - 12:01 AM, said:

The only one I'd change would be the -A. Its ok but feels like a downgrade from B. This is mostly a brawl build comparison but I struggle to build anything else on it.

The -5 is also quite one-dimensional. Plasma APG is good, but everything else suffer because of the mounts.

The rest are great. Was surprised how much I like 2 ATM12 on the -4 and the -DT can do 3 ERPPCs without issue. Just waiting for the -6 to have its third hardpoint moved upwards but it has good 2 ballistic builds in the meanwhile.

I also find it much tankier than people are saying. Still a 45t level, but its not that weak.

how do you fit 2x atm 12's on that???

[TercieI]

KursedVixen, on 28 September 2025 - 01:10 PM, said:

how do you fit 2x atm 12's on that???

https://mwo.nav-alph...d2894_SHD-IIC-4

That's three minutes in mechlab, I'm sure it can be optimized, but seems like the general shape.